Servant of All

Francis Bacon said "A prudent question is one-half of wisdom." Asking the right question can make all the difference. When I was younger and thought I knew everything, I didn’t ask enough questions. My father would tell me to do something, and not wanting to look foolish, I would say “I know how to do that.” Then later when I didn’t know what tools to use or how to get started, I would finally ask for help.

As we get older, hopefully we get wiser. I have learned to ask more questions. But the key is asking the right questions.

In today’s message we will see a vast difference between a very wrong question and a very right question. As we have seen, time and again, Jesus asks questions, not because he didn’t know the answer, but to help the person arrive at the truth.

Series

As we continue our series: The Crown & The Cross sermon, Mark’s Gospel shows Jesus as a man with a clear message and mission, and the reader is called to actively response to the message. Jesus’ responses always helped his listeners better understand God’s heart and his statements are typically clear commands for us to follow.

In the first half of Mark the emphasis was on Jesus as Messiah the King who deserved the crown. Now in the second half the focus is on Jesus preparing for His life’s mission to suffer and die on the cross - and to rise from the dead. He is preparing his disciples for what lay ahead. Jesus is also speaking to us today about what it takes to be a true follower.

Last week Jesus warned his listeners about dangerous treasure. It’s not just the risks we take to find great treasure, but the high price of holding on to it without seeing the real cost. Today questions are at the heart of the matter, as we see the disciples come close to an internal war and a blind beggar looks to Jesus for help.

Our parallel passages are in Matthew 19 and Luke 18. You can turn to Mark 10.

PRAY

READ Mark 10:32-34

Jesus' Mission

vv. 32-34

Now for the third time, as they are walking along the road, headed to Jerusalem, Jesus tells his disciples his mission. But they still don’t seem to fully comprehend it. Verse 32 tells us Jesus was leading them - walking ahead while they lagged behind amazed and afraid.

Jesus is telling his twelve disciples more details about what will happen in Jerusalem. This is the longest and most detailed prediction of his pending death. Mark 8:31 and Mark 9:31 are much briefer summaries.

He makes the distinction that the Son of Man, a title for the Messiah, will be delivered over to the chief priest and scribes and they will condemn him and deliver him to the Gentiles who will mock him, spit on him, flog him and kill him. And after three days he will rise.

READ Mark 10:35-45

The Wrong Question

vv 35-40

The placement of this questions seems so wrong after Jesus just again reiterated his mission to suffer and die. James and John seem more concerned about their place of honor in the kingdom - perhaps showing again that they don’t really understand what is going to happen to Jesus.

James and John, two of the inner circle with Peter,basically ask Jesus for a blank check. Will you do whatever we ask you?

How does Jesus respond? Of course with a question. Jesus wisely asks “what do you want me to do for you?

Here is a bit of biblical wise counsel. When someone asks if you can do something for them. Before quickly saying “Sure” ask what is it? That way you won’t be committed to something you can’t or shouldn’t do. It’s foolish and reveals your own pride to say “whatever you want you got it.” Like you are all that.

V. 37 their reply is Let us sit at your right and left hands in your glory. They want the two places of honor in the kingdom.

Jesus responds “You don’t know what you are asking. He then asks if they will be able to drink the cup or be baptized as he will be. Jesus is referring to the cup of judgment for the world’s sin that he will take on the cross. And the baptism or suffering and anguish he will endure going to the cross. Later in Mark 14:36 Jesus will pray to the Father please remove this cup from me.

James and John quickly reply “Yes we are able.” They’re confidence is remarkable even though they really don’t understand.

Jesus’ response prophesies that they will in fact drink the cup of death and be baptized in suffering just as he would be. In fact, James was martyred when he was beheaded by Herod Agrippa I (Acts 12:2), the first apostle to be martyred. While John was the only apostle not to be martyred, he was persecuted for Christ and eventually died in exile on the island of Patmos.

Even though Jesus knew they would be faithful to the end, He fully believed in God’s Sovereignty. God is in control and he has a plan. In verse 40, Jesus said “It’s not up to me. Those places of honor were planned. It also shows Jesus’ submission to the Father’s will in everything.

In Matthew 20:20, Salome, the mother of John and James, is reported as being the one who approached Jesus. “Salome was the sister of Jesus’ mother.… In making this request, she maybe hoped to take advantage of this relationship. But whether the request was made by Salome at her sons’ instigation, or by John and James at their mother’s initiative, the fact remains that it was a request born of selfish desire for recognition.

They asked the wrong question with the wrong motives.

Servant of All

vv. 41-45

The rest of the disciples were apparently close enough to hear the whole thing. We can’t accuse James and John of sneaking around. They or their mom apparently asked Jesus right in front of everyone.

The other ten became indignant. This means they were angry at something they saw as unfair or unjust. In other words, why should these two get special treatment? What about the rest of us?

Jesus did not want to let this become an ongoing feud causing the twelve to resent or fight with each other, so he addresses it head on.

v. 42 Jesus calls them all together and reminds them of the discipleship principles has been teaching them as we saw in the past several chapters. Remember their arguments about who would be greatest in the kingdom?

Jesus uses the Roman occupation as an example. You know how the Gentile rulers lord their position over everyone else? They let everyone know who is in charge and they take advantage of their leadership positions by getting whatever they want. Do you know bosses like that? They don’t seem willing to do anything, but they will take full credit for anything good that happens.

Don’t be like that! That is the world’s leadership. It is selfish and can be corrupt. v. 43-44 Jesus says “Whoever would be great among you must be your servant, and whoever would be first among you must be slave of all.” This is how leadership in God’s kingdom works.

This is very similar to Jesus’ teaching in Mark 9:35 “If anyone would be first, he must be last of all and servant of all.”

A servant leader leads by example. Jesus provided his disciples with the greatest example of servant leadership according to God’s kingdom. They had seen him serve others first hand even when he was tired and hungry himself. They had seen him touch the unclean. They had seen him heal the multitudes. They had seen him feed thousands. And before it was over, they would see him wash the dirt from their feet. They had seen the only one who truly deserved to be called “Lord” place himself in humble service to others. And as a great servant leader, he invited them to serve alongside him. This is real discipleship. This is our model for leadership and discipleship in the church. In addition to pastors, we have deacons in leadership. Our word deacon comes from this Greek work diaconos which means servant. That is Jesus’ example for all of us. If you’re wondering who you should serve? Anyone and Everyone! Be a servant to all. That’s how we demonstrate unconditional love.

The Ransom

Verse 45 is a clear summary statement about Jesus in Mark’s gospel. “The Son of Man came not be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”

Not only did Jesus come to serve, but he came to give his life as a ransom for many.

The word ransom today means what a kidnapper demands to get their victim back. In Bible times, a ransom was the bail paid to release a prisoner of war or a slave from jail. Jesus paid the ransom or the payment to release us from the jail of sin. Romans 3:23 says the wages or the ransom of sin is death. We are guilty and waiting on death row. But Jesus offered himself as ransom in our place.

We all know you can’t just overlook evil. We’ve seen a lot of evil this past year. With horrific shootings, riots, hate speech. You can’t ignore it and hope it will go away. You have to deal with evil head on. That’s what God did when he sent His Son into the world. Jesus came to pay the ransom for sin with his own life. God’s justice demands a sacrifice for evil. God showed all the way back at the beginning of history in Genesis, that sin needed to be removed by the blood and death of an innocent sacrifice.

Satan is not only the great liar, he also the great imitator. He takes God’s concepts like love and redemption and twists them into something evil. The evil god’s of this world or demons if that’s what they really are always demanded a blood sacrifice - often children.

The amazing, shocking Gospel is that the one true God came to be the sacrifice himself. And Jesus said, not only did I come to serve I came to give my life as a ransom for many.

READ Mark 10:46-52

The Right Question

vv 46-52

V 46 tells us the came to Jericho and then on their way out of the city with a big crowd following him a blind beggar cries our Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me.

There is another difference here from the Matthew 20 description that includes two bling beggars. Mark only mentions one, but he includes his name: Bartimaeus. Bar means son of like Peter’s original name: Simon Bar-Jonah or son of Jonah. People did not have last names so they were identified as the son of their father or their birthplace - like Jesus of Nazareth. This doesn’t mean the Bible is wrong, the two retelling of this same account just focus on different details. Bartimaeus, is the only healed person in the synoptic Gospels called by name. It is likely that he became a church leader and was known by the people reading the gospel.

Bartimaeus is physically blind but through the Holy Spirit, he can see exactly who Jesus is. He calls out to the Son of David - that means the Messiah who can bring healing and wholeness. He demonstrated his faith in God and Jesus as Messiah.

As Bartimaeus cried out for Jesus, the crowd shouted back “Be quiet!” Maybe they thought Jesus was too important for a beggar. Maybe they were just annoyed that he wouldn’t stop shouting. But instead of shrinking into the shadows he cried out even more. This is his one chance for healing.

Jesus heard him and asked for him. Now the crowd was excited the passed the word back and said “Take heart. Get up he is calling you.”

Bartimaeus throws off his cloak, probably his most valuable worldly possession, jumped up and ran to Jesus. Remember he is blind, but he is so excited he doesn’t want his cloak tripping him or holding him back.

Compare Bartimaeus’ commitment and faith in Jesus by casting away his cloak with the rich young ruler, who could not bring himself to cast away anything he owned to gain what he wanted.

V. 51 notice Jesus asks him the exact same question he asked James and John. “What do you want me to do for you?

Bartimaeus said Rabbi, let me recover my sight. Or heal me, save me from my blindness.

Jesus said “Go on your way, your faith has made you well.”

IMMEDIATELY he could see and he followed Jesus as he went on his way. This word for healed in Greek ask means saved. He was physically healed of his blindness and he could also see spiritually. He was saved by faith.

What a great picture of true discipleship!

He started out sitting by the side of the road, he heard about Jesus coming, he recognized him as Messiah - Son of David, he believed Jesus could he heal him, he shouted out for Jesus, people discouraged him and tried to silence him, but he kept at it, even louder, Jesus healed and saved him, and then he followed Jesus!

Take Aways

James and John asked the wrong question because they were thinking wrongly about Jesus. They asked: Jesus, what can you do for us?

Bartimaeus asked the right question because he knew his physical and spiritual needs. He asked: Jesus, will you heal me and save me?

Have you recognized your spiritual blindness, your need to repent of your sins and asked Jesus to save you?

God’s typical pattern for raising up leaders is to first see them serve before they lead. Think of the great OT leaders like Joseph, Moses, Joshua, David. Or the new testament men like Timothy and Titus and of course our Lord Jesus himself.

If you think you were meant to lead, are you willing to serve? God’s kingdom is looking for men and women who will humbly serve in the small things before they grow to greater responsibility. servant leaders willing help others, appreciate other’s value and contributions, and realize they are not above any job themselves. They are not jealous of another’s gifts, but are happy to see others serving and being thanked.

The first will be last and the last will be first. Are you willing to be last?

Benediction

Peace be with you brothers and sister, and love with faith from God the Father and Jesus Christ, His Son. Grace be with all who love our Lord Jesus Christ with love incorruptible. In His name I pray. Amen.

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